Turkish Delight

Good morning from Izmir, Turkey!
We have had many adventures since the last time I posted. We have spent the last couple of days discovering the roads that Paul walked and the ancient walls of Troy. We have taken a gondola up to the acropolis of Pergamon and a ferry across the Strait of Darnell. It has been an eventful couple of days. The first picture is a picture of our whole group at the amphitheater in Assos and the second picture has me, Pam May, Connie Edwards, and Isa demonstrating how Roman soldiers walked along the road from Troas to Assos. Isa was trying to teach us how to hold our spears and shields! We don't make for very intimidating soldiers! The places we have seen have been incredible. Turkey has exceeded my expectations in many ways! We have one more day in Turkey and then we leave for Greece. Today we go to Ephesus!

I hope to post again tonight to share more about our experience. I hope everyone in the states is doing well! Happy Birthday to my Nanny who just turned 85! Love you Nanny!

On my way to find more Roman roads...

your friend,
Melissa
for more pictures visit: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029300&id=125300168&l=33a8b771a3

Galoshes and Melissa Spice

Unfortunately galoshes were not on my packing list! It has been raining in Istanbul all day and the temperature is in the 50's. This is very unusual weather, but we didn't let the rain deter us! We pressed on to see the sights of Istanbul.

Today we visited:

Hagia Sophia http://www.hagiasophia.com/

Blue Mosque http://www.bluemosque.org/

Grand Bazaar http://www.grandbazaaristanbul.org/

The Spice Market and a carpet store

I can't possibly record our entire day in one blog post! I will try to hit on the hightlights!

The Hagia Sophia was my favorite today. It is the 4th biggest cathedral in the world. It was also turned into a mosque and is now a museum. It was pretty incredible. I felt smaller than normal as I looked up at the dome. It is 100 feet in diameter. It is not exactly circular because of structural issues. The art has been covered by plaster by they are working on restoring it. The mere size of Hagia Sophia is breathtaking!

The Blue Mosque was very beautiful and proably my favorite building from the exterior in Istanbul. I just keep taking pictures of it! Inside we were required to take our shoes off. The rain made this easy task a bit of a nightmare as the crowds were all anxious to get inside and out of the rain. I enjoyed the warm and dry interior very much. Isa taught us how Muslims pray and we were also there during the noon prayer time.

Carpet shopping was next on the agenda. Before we could buy we were well educated on how carpets are made and hot to gage the value of them. These carpets are made of cotton, wool, or silk. The number of knots, the workmanship, and the type of fiber all determine the price. I saw a carpet that took someone two years to make. Incredible. I have pictures from this experience posted on the link at the bottom of this post.

The shopping continued at the Grand Bazaar. Be ready to bargain if you ever plan to visit. The crowds were heavy and the salesmen persistent. I bought an evil eye magnet to appease my professor :) It is a magnet and I plan to place it on my refrigerator at home to ward off evil from myself and my roommates!

The most exciting find of the day occured at the spice market. We found a spice named Melissa! I was very excited and I knew that this mean that Istanbul was glad to have me!

Istanbul has been a great city to visit. It is time to move on as our journey continues early in the morning when we leave for Troy! I will post again once we find the precious internet. Thanks for following and for the comments!

Happy Friday!

Melissa

link to more pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029300&id=125300168&l=33a8b771a3

Greetings from Istanbul!

Merhaba! (hello in Turkish)

We arrived in Turkey this morning at 10:00am (turkey time). It was a long flight but well worth the effort. This morning we found our tour guide at the airport, his name is Isa, and we checked into our hotel. We had an open afternoon so Isa and our driver, Lokman, took us to the Chora Church.

The Chora Church has a long and complicated history...just like Turkey! It was originally built in the 5th century and the official name is Church of St. Savior in Chora. After many additions, rebuilding efforts, earthquakes, and restructuring the building we see today is dated roughly around the 14th century. It was also converted into a Mosque in the 16th Century. In 1948 the church became a museum.

The Church is known for the Christian frescoes and mosaics that are inside. All of them had been covered with plaster but have been restored as much as possible. The ceilings tell stories and one must have strong neck to fully appreciate the art. You can learn more about Chora Church by visiting their website: http://www.choramuseum.com/

We have ventured out just a bit in Istanbul and already I am excited about what adventures await us. We have a full day tomorrow and I am hope to be over the jet lag. We are about 8 hours ahead of our friends in the midwest and I for one have not adjusted quite yet!

Taking my shoes off for a little nap...

until tomorrow,
Melissa

Packing my Nike Tennis Shoes

Dr. David May has said hundreds of times that a student can never really understand the New Testament without seeing the setting first hand. Last year I took both of Dr. May’s New Testament courses and casually thought about how great a trip to the land that Paul traveled would be, but it seemed out of reach. Now I find myself presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. An experience that would be unforgettable and life changing actually became a real possibility with the sponsorship from CBTS. A trip to Greece and Turkey with a group from Central led by Dr. May seems too good to be true; it really doesn’t get any better.

I am ecstatic about this opportunity because I know that it will enrich my seminary experience in ways that nothing else can. I always regretted not studying abroad as an undergraduate and to this day I constantly urge current students that if they have the chance to go for it. Well, my second chance just arrived and I understand the value of it.

A trip to Greece and Turkey under the direction of a New Testament expert will take me to the next level of understanding the text of Paul’s letters. It will enable me to visualize those moments when Paul was changing the world with the Gospel. I am certain that my appreciation for the text and the legacy of that text will increase significantly. Not only will this be a time of academic growth, but also a time of spiritual growth. Spending time in the land that holds so much of our tradition will have great impact on who I am and my relationship with Christ.

Traveling overseas always has potential to change one’s life. This opportunity is even greater. I am excited to share this experience with you through this blog. With a group of eleven, I will be off to follow the footsteps of Paul bright and early Wednesday Oct. 6th. My bags are packed and my nike tennis shoes are ready for a lot of walking. Stick with me as I take my first steps into the world of Turkey. I hope to greet you from Istanbul in just a couple of days!

Melissa Bryson